Improvement in railroad-rail joints



G. W. SKAATS.

Railroad Rail-Joints. L.

Inventor.

PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. SKAATS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILROAD-RAIL JOINTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 137,253, dated March 25, 1873.

fish-plate fits a prepared gap in the ends of the rails, and forms a part of the tread or face .of the rail; and my invention consists in such a construction of the fish-plates and rails that a bed is prepared in the sides of the rails at the joints, into which the fish-plate rests for support against the weight of the rolling-stock traversing the rail, the invention being designedto prevent the fish-plate from slipping down out of place under a load, as is the case with the fish-plate used in this class of joints, where the plate is supported only on the curved side of the ordinary rail.

Description of the Accompamylng Drawing.

Figure l is a perspective view of the jointof a track embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same at the joint. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan.

General Description.

A A represent the ends of two rails, in which the recesses a a are cut to enable the upper side of the fish-plate B, which fits the recesses, to form a lap-joint and constitute part of the rail-tread, in the manner shown. Bolts 0 con nect the ends of the rails and the fish-plates B B together. A bed, I), is cut or otherwise prepared in each end of the rails, near the joint, of such a character as that,when the fish-plate B fits into or upon it, the fish-plate shall have no tendency to move out of place under the load of a passing train. I make a bed having a face at right angles to the vertical side of the rail, the latter being out vertical from the top of the rail to the bottom line of the fishplate B, as shown in Fig. 2.

In this class of lap-joints the fishplate. B

heretofore has been only supported on the curved side of the rail, such as is shown supporting the plate. B; and it has been found that although the bolts 0 were of the customary tight fits, that the plate which supportedin part the passing load would work entirely out of place, so as to be inoperative and cause the thin ends of the rails to be exposed and battered up.

Claim.

set my hand.

G. W. SKAATS. Witnesses:

FRANK MILLWARD, J N0. G. J onns. 

